Experimental Drugs and Clinical Trials

As I write this I am on the pump. Yesterday was the big chemo day. Tomorrow is hydration and “get off the pump” day. Then two whole weeks off!!! This begins the three week cycles for a while, an attempt to balance life and quality of life. By the way, “quality of life” is one of two terms/phrases that I (and I suspect many other cancer patients) hate to hear. The other one is “palliative”. Yesterday Dr. George discussed a new drug that may be useful in my treatment. I had read about it earlier but didn’t pay too much attention to it because it’s use for esophageal cancer is experimental. It’s called Herceptin and has proven to be effective in the treatment of breast cancer, but only in tumors that contain a gene called the HER2 gene. It is approved by the FDA for that use. Recent studies indicate that it may also be effective in treating gastro intestinal cancers that test positive for the HER2 gene. So Dr. George ordered my previous biopsy sample to be tested for the HER2 gene. If the gene is present, and I think it has to be abundantly present, Herceptin may be helpful. It is not a miracle drug. Dr. George just wants to know if it is something available to us down the road if we need it. It would be another weapon in the arsenal. And that’s assuming the insurance company would pay for it because its use in gastro intestinal cancer treatment is considered “off label” since it is not yet approved for that purpose. One of the major attractions of this drug is that there a very few side effects because it is an anti-body. The big drawback is that if I used it I would grow breasts. Just kidding about that last part. I am pleased to announce that I am involved in a clinical trial. As a matter of fact I am conducting the trial myself. It is a phase I trial designed to determine the affects of 5FU on mosquitoes and gnats. I sit outside and let the bugs swarm around me yelling “go ahead, make my day”. After they bite I try to keep an eye on them to see how long they survive, counting the seconds….. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, FU!!! I’m just trying to do my part for science. Carry on. ----------------------------------------------------